Final answer:
After the 1.9 update, up to 128 strongholds can spawn in a world, distributing them in rings starting from 1,408 to 2,688 blocks of the origin.
Step-by-step explanation:
With the introduction of the 1.9 update, there was a substantial increase in the number of strongholds that can generate within a world.
In the earlier versions, a world would typically have only three strongholds.
However, following the 1.9 update, this number was significantly expanded, allowing for the potential existence of up to 128 strongholds in a single world.
These strongholds are systematically distributed in concentric rings across the world.
The initial ring begins within a range of 1,408 to 2,688 blocks from the world's origin point.
This update not only expanded the quantity of strongholds, providing players with more opportunities for exploration and discovery but also introduced a more extensive and structured distribution system for these essential in-game structures.